ANCHIST 361 Special Topic: The City in the Ancient World - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

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Course Overview

The city sat at the heart of the Greco-Roman world. From the city-states of ancient Greece to the rise of Rome, cities not only represented the key territorial and political units of the ancient world but were central to concepts of identity. While the city of Rome was the political and ideological centre of the Roman empire, the foundation of new cities and integration of ancient ones became integral to its expansion and survival. From Londinium in Britannia to Alexandria in Egypt, from Leptis Magna in North Africa to Aquileia in Italy, the many cities of the Roman world not only served as bastions of Roman rule in their regions but were conduits for the flow of trade and ideas, binding people together in a vast sprawling network.

This course examines the Roman city from the early influences of the Greek city-states to the dawn of late antiquity. It explores what it may have been like to live in an ancient city and how they functioned within both a local and empire-wide context. Employing written evidence, archaeology, numismatics, art, and architecture, the course will cover a broad series of topics, such as civic identity, religion, urban society, government, commerce, and the military role of cities. Utilising case studies from a broad geographical spread, it will not only highlight commonalities shared amongst the urban centres of the empire but will also examine their differences, exploring the impact of local culture on urban landscapes and identity. Overlaying the examination of such topics this course will also trace long-term changes in the role of cities and examine how military threats, rebellions, political crises, and cultural shifts left their mark on the urban environment.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points at Stage II in Ancient History, Classical Studies, or Classical Studies and Ancient History Restriction: ANCHIST 261

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Gain a broad knowledge and understanding of the city and the role of civic identity in the Greco-Roman world. (Capability 1.1 and 2.1)
Engage with secondary historical sources to produce independent written research exploring the form and function of the Greco-Roman city. (Capability 1.2, 2.3 and 4.1)
Evaluate a variety of written and material evidence in order to assess what it can tell us about life within the ancient city. (Capability 1.3, 2.2 and 3.1)
Work collaboratively to analyse primary source material and situate it within current historical debates surrounding the ancient city. (Capability 1.3, 2.3 and 5.2)
Communicate ideas in both a verbal and written context. (Capability 1.1 and 4.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Reflection	15%	Individual Coursework
Presentation	15%	Group Coursework
Essay	40%	Individual Coursework
Essay	30%	Individual Coursework
4 types	100%

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking
Capability 4:	Communication and Engagement
Capability 5:	Independence and Integrity

ANCHIST 361 : Special Topic: The City in the Ancient World

Arts

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)